Manufacture of cellulosic products



June 9, 1964 F. s. KEAHEY, JR

MANUFACTURE OF CELLULOSIC PRODUCTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1961m 1964 F. s. KEAHEY, JR

MANUFACTURE OF CELLULOSIC PRODUCTS 2. Sheets-Shae}: 2

Filed Feb. 23, 1961 United States Patent 3,136,649 MANUFACTURE OFCELLULQSIC PRODUCT Frank S. Kenhey, In, Neenali, Wis, assignor toKimberly- Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of DelawareFiled Feb. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 91,075 Claims. ((1 117-4) This inventionrelates to methods of selectively perforating flexible webs or thinsheet stock, and the adaptation of hydraulic means therefor. Moreparticularly, it relates to utilizing high velocity fluid injectors toperforate rapidly moving paper webs, and, as an adjunct thereto, tosimultaneously incorporate a reinforcing material into areas of the webmarginally defining the perforations thus obtained.

The invention is especially applicable to perforating selected areas offlexible webs, such as paper or similar sheet materials, while beinghandled at high speeds on a sheet cutter, printing press, or other webconverting apparatus.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a method forperforating continuous webs with high pressure liquids, while said websare moving at high speeds.

Another object is to provide a method of additionally utilizing the highpressure perforating liquid to impregnate and reinforce the web in anarea immediately encircling and defining the perforations produced bysaid liquid.

A still further object is to provide improved means for perforating acontinuously moving web and simultaneously reinforcing the Web in anarea adjacent to and encircling the perforations, while said web istraveling at high speed relative to said means.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent to personsskilled in the art upon examining the following descriptions anddrawings as will various modifications, without departing from theinventive concepts defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are identified by the samereference numeral:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an arrangement embodying theprinciples of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partially in section and partiallyschematic, showing the details of a fluid injection device suitable forcarrying out the invention, and its relative position with respect to amoving web on which it operates.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the web showing holes punched into the web bythe force of hydraulically-ejected liquid as the web moves under a fluidinjector nozzle and over a cooperating apertured die member.

Heretofore, continuous web perforating operations commonly employedrotary punches in cooperation with rotary cavity-type dies. In suchoperations, it is necessary to align each punch with its associated diecavity, since even minor misalignment results in punch breakage ordamage. Normal wear occurring between the punches and dies during highspeed operation also contributes to misalignment, necessitatingcontinual readjustment of the apparatus or frequent replacement ofcooperating parts.

In accordance with the invention, a high pressure fluid injectiondevice, including a pump and nozzle of a construction similar to thoseconventionally used in supplying fuel to diesel engines, is adapted toutilize a high velocity stream of liquid to perforate thin sheet stock.An injector nozzle is arranged in closely spaced relation to anapertured support member with the nozzle opening in registry with theaperture in said member. Thin sheet stock or a flexible web isinterposed between the nozzle and apertured support member. Jets of highpressure liquid are then discharged through the nozzle to punch iceholes of predetermined size and configuration into the Web. The web maybe introduced to the perforating area in a step by step motionsynchronously timed with the liquid jets, or, preferably, continuouslyand at high speed, again in synchronization with the liquid jets.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates one arrangement for carrying out theinvention wherein a substantially noncompressible fluid is supplied atlow pressure to a fluid injection pump 2 through low pressure supplyline 4. Pump 2, operated at a constant stroke by a cam or swash platemechanism 6, supplies metered amounts of liquid in timed pulses throughhigh pressure fluid line 8 to a high pressure fluid injector nozzle 10.Nozzle 10, which is preferably of the pintle type, ejects the liquid athigh velocity and in the general shape of an inverted cone 12, againstweb 13 moving over a supporting member or die 14 provided with anaperture 16 in registry with nozzle opening 13. Pressurized liquid, asthus propelled against the moving web, punches a sharply-definedaperture therein in registry with orifice l6. Orifice 16 shown in FIG.3, as circular, may of course be of any desired configuration. Marginsof the web apertures thus produced are sharply-defined when the liquidstream is in cross sectional registry with orifice 16.

Injection pump actuating cam 6 is synchronously connected, as shown at7, to a web driving roll 5 to insure desired linear spacing of theapertures punched in the web.

Any suitable substantially non-compressible fluid may be employed. It ispreferred that non-corrosive, lubricous liquids be used, such as oils,plastic materials liquified by heat or by dissolving in a suitablesolvent, or solvents themselves. Water, or various aqueous solutionscontaining hardenable materials, may also be used provided suitableprovision is made to reduce the corrosive nature of the water.Hardenable plastic materials, are employed when, in addition toperforating the web, it is desired to reinforce the edges of theperforation simultaneously with the punching operation.

Under the conditions above stated for optimum aperture definition in theweb, substantially all of the liquid passes through die orifice 16 alongwith the removed web material, but may be recycled through a suitablefilter for removal of the entrained material, and re-used. By increasingthe nozzle height above the web, the fluid stream of liquid is enlargedwith outer portions thereof deposited on web marginally of die orifice16 as shown at 20, FIG. 3. A fluid stream containing plastic materialmay be thus employed to eifect marginal deposition of plastic materialwhich may subsequently be hardened by carrier solvent removal or by heatremoval to provide a reinforcing annulus marginally of the aperture andintegral with the web.

Thus, the process of the invention is utilized, not only to punch holesof predetermined configuration into a rapidly moving web, butsimultaneously to reinforce the web in the area surrounding the punchedholes.

FIG. 2 shows in cross-sectional detail, one type of fluid injection pumpand a cooperating injector nozzle and die arrangement, suitable forcarrying out the invention. Pump 2 comprises pump housing 21, containingbarrel 22 having bore 23 in which is mounted pumping plunger 24. Securedto housing 21 in alignment with barrel 22 is delivery valve holder 25containg valve 26 and valve operating spring 27. Valve holder 25 isconnected to high pressure fluid line 8 by coupling 28. Control sleeve29 encircles lower portion of barrel 22 with a toothed pinion portion 36in cooperating engagement with conventional toothed control rack 31.Rack 31 is utilized to adjust position of helices 32 and 33 on plunger24 relative to fill opening 34 and fill and spill Patented June 9, 1964opening 35 in barrel 22.. Adjustable positioning of helices 32 and 33within the barrel controls the amount of fluid metered by pump 2. Coilspring 37 in slidable plunger guide 36 presses against spring seats 33and 39 to bias plunger 24 in open position in the usual manner.

Pump 2 delivers high pressure liquid through line 3 to high pressurefluid injector it Injector 10 comprises nozzle tip 41, nozzle holder 40and intervening member l3 secured together by coupling 42. Valve stem 45slidably mounted in central bore 4 of intervening member 43 engagescup-shaped portion 46 of pintle valve 47 and is biased by spring 50 tomaintain pintle valve 37 closed in the absence of iluid pressure.Biasing pressure of spring 50 is adjustable by screw 51. Valve seat 48in nozzle tip it is adapted to automatically seat and center taperedportion 49 of valve 47 to control flow of fluid through opening 18.

Nozzle 1t} preferably is adjustable in both vertical and horizontaldirections. Cooperating die 14 is also horizontally adjustable tomaintain registry with nozzle 10.

In operation, a suitable liquid is delivered at low pressure by supplyline 4 through fill opening 34 to inner bore 23 of pump 2 when plunger24 uncovers fill opening 34 at the bottom of the plunger stroke.Actuating cam 6 (shown only in FlG. l), driven in timed relationshipwith the movement of web 13, actuates plunger 24 to force liquid at highpressure through valve 26, and line 8 to injector 14 Liquid flowsthrough valve 26 to injector it until spill opening 35 is uncovered. Theresulting drop in pressure causes valve 26 to close and maintainresidual pressure in line 8 until the next injection. Plunger 24 may berotated in barrel 22 by control rack 31 to adjust length of timerequired for plunger helix 33 to uncover spill opening 35. Thus, thelength of the effective plunger stroke and the amount of liquid injectedthereby are effectively used to control the hydraulic pressure of theliquid delivered to nozzle 10.

The high pressure liquid travels through high pressure line 8 throughchannel 52 of nozzle holder 40 to bore 53 in nozzle tip 41. Hydraulicpressure forces open valve 47, to eject a conical spray 12 of highvelocity liquid through opening 18 of nozzle 41. The ejected liquidinstantaneously perforates moving web 13, in registry with underlyingaperture 116 in die block 14. Substantially all of the liquid thenpasses through aperture 16 with the excised web material.

Synchronization of pump actuating cam 6 with web driving roll may beadjusted to perforate the web at any desired linear spacing. An exampleof such spacing is shown by reference numerals 16 in the plan view ofWeb 13, in FIG. 3.

Injection pressures generated by diesel injection devices usually rangefrom 800 to 7,000 p.s.i. but may run as high as 25,000 p.s.i. Forperforating paper webs in the manner herein taught, pressures in therange of 4500 p.s.i. to 6,000 p.s.i. have proved suitable. are readilyadjustable over a wider range to fit the particular characteristics ofthe material being worked.

The perforating device of this invention is adaptable for installationon most known Web converting equipment including printing presses,sheeters, rewinders, interfolders, sheet collators and the like. Therange of speeds for such equipment varies from 100 feet per minute toabout 2000 feet per minute for printing presses, and as high as 5000feet per minute for rewinders. High pressure fluid pumps and cooperatingnozzles are capable of being operated at speeds which permit an almostunlimited range of spacing for the perforations. Additional flexibilityin machine design may be obtaincd by arranging several ejector nozzles,in parallel. The nozzles also may be spaced in any desired arrangementtransverse of the moving web to provide still more variety inperforation patterns.

As previously noted, when the device is used only to perforate Webs, theinjector nozzle isspaced relative to. the

However, pressures.

l .in

Web so that a cross section of the high velocity spray ejected byinjector nozzle, taken at the plane of intersection of the moving web,is congruent with the configuration of the underlying die-opening. Thisarrangement produces perforations having especially sharp andwell-defined edges. When it isdesired to reinforce the perforations, thespacing of the nozzle above the web is increased to enlarge the areawhere the liquid intercepts the web. Any liquid striking the web outsideof the unsupported area defined by the underlying die opening isabsorbed into the Web in that area. Thus, a hardenable resin may beincluded in the liquid to provide a reinforced area immediatelysurrounding the perforations as shown by shaded area 20 in FIG. 3.

Materials suitable for reinforcing purposes include resin in solventcombinations such as polyvinyl chloride in methyl ethyl ketone,cellulose acetate butyrate in methyl ethyl ketone or any of thebelow-mentioned thermoplastic materials in appropriate organic ormineral solvents. Thermosetting aldehyde resins, including water-solubletypes, are also suitable.

Thermoplastic materials may also be used as the reinforcing media inwhich case'the injection pump, nozzle, and fluid supply elements areheated to maintain the plastic in molten condition during application.After application the Web is cooled to harden the plastic deposited inthe reinforced areas. Suitable thermoplastic resins includepolyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate,copolymers of polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl acetate, butyrates andthe like. Various combinations of these resins, with or without addedplasticizers are also effective.

it will be understood that more than one perforating nozzle may bemounted over selected areas of a moving web and that they may besupplied with liquid by individual pumps, or a single pump for severalnozzles. The pump and delivery nozzle also may be combined, thuseliminating the high pressure fluid supply line or tube. The lattertubing, when employed, should be thick-Walled, of smooth and uniformbore, and be made of material ductile enough to permit bending duringinstallation, but of a ductility low enough to withstandthe pressurepulses to which it is subjected in service. A suitable material is SAE1010 steel with a carbon content not exceeding 0.05 to 0.15 percent,.andwith tensile strength on the order of 45,000 psi. Suitable tubes rangein size from A" OD. and ID. to /z" OD. and 7 ID.

The method and apparatus herein described is useful in convertingpunched sheets for loose leaf notebook refills, catalog sheets, magazineinserts, manual pages, multicopy paper and the like.

While one of the principal advantages of the invention is itsadaptability to perforating webs moving at relatively high speeds, theprinciples of the invention are readily applicable to operations inwhich the movement of the sheet material acted upon is completelystopped while being perforated.

The method herein described is especially suitable for perforating paperwebs'but it is readily adapted to perforating other flexible webs suchas non-woven bonded materials, woven fabrics, plastic films and thelike.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedWithout departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of perforatingweb-like sheet stock con-.

- in said stock of the same configuration as the shape of the steps ofcontinuously moving a flexible web over a stationary aperture,maintaining said moving web in taut condition as it spans said aperture,intermittently ejecting at predetermined intervals a shaped jet ofsubstantially non-compressible fluid at high velocity against theaperture-spanning area of said moving web, supplying said jet in a shapesuch that a cross section of said jet taken where it impinges againstsaid web is of the same size and configuration as said aperture,ejecting said jet at a pressure and velocity sufficient to disintegrateand remove a portion of said web and obtain perforations therein of saidconfiguration, and adjusting the speed of said web with the timing ofthe intermittent ejections of said jet to provide predetermined linearspacing between the shaped perforations thus-obtained in said web.

4. A method of simultaneously perforating and reinforcing flexible webscomprising the steps of continuously moving a flexible web over astationary supporting member having an aperture of predeterminedconfiguration, maintaining said web taut while moving over and spanningsaid aperture, intermittently directing a shaped jet of substantiallynon-compressible fluid containing a hardenable resin against said movingweb in an area encompassing the aperture-spanning portion of said weband a portion of said web supported marginally of said aperture, thecross section of said jet taken where said jet impinges against said webbeing slightly greater in area than the similarly shapedaperture-spanning portion of said web, supplying said jet at sufficientvelocity and pressure to excise and remove the aperture-spanning portionof said web while impregnating said web with said fluid in saidsupported portions marginally defining the excised portion of said web.

5. A method of simultaneously perforating and reinforcing fiexible webscomprising the steps of continuously moving a web over a fixedsupporting member provided with an aperture of predeterminedconfiguration, maintaining said moving web taut while spanning saidaperture, intermittently directing a shaped jet of substantiallynon-compressible fluid containing a hardenable resin against said web inan area encompassing the aperturespanning portion of said web and aportion of said web supported marginally of said aperture, the crosssection of said jet taken where said jet impinges against said web beingslightly greater in area than the similarly shaped aperture-spanningportion of said web, supplying said jet at suflicient velocity andpressure to excise and remove the aperture-spanning portion of said WebWhile impregnating the supported portion of said web with said fluid inan area marginally defining the excised portion of said web, drying saidweb, and curing the residual resin deposited therein to reinforce saidweb in an area marginally defining said excised portion.

6. A device for perforating flexible webs comprising a stationaryapertured support member, means for continuously moving a flexible webover said member, a high pressure fluid injector spaced above saidmember and in registry with the aperture therein, a shaped nozzleopening in said injector, means for supplying highly pressurized liquidto said injector, means for intermittently ejecting said liquid throughthe shaped nozzle opening of said injector to effect perforation of saidweb while said Web moves over said member, and means for timing saidintermittent ejections of said liquid with the speed of said 6 web toobtain shaped perforations of predetermined spacing in said web.

7. Apparatus for perforating flexible webs comprising a stationaryapertured support member, a high pressure fluid injector spaced abovesaid member and in registry with the apertured portion thereof, meansfor continuously moving a flexible web over said member and below saidinjector, means for supplying liquid under high pressure to saidinjector, means for the sequentially timed ejection of high pressurejets of liquid from said injector while said web moves between saidinjector and said member, means for shaping said jets to conform incross section to the configurations of the aperture in said member wheresaid jets intercept said members, and means for relating the sequentialtiming of said jets to the rate of movement of said Web to obtainregularly spaced and shaped perforations on said web.

8. Apparatus for perforating sheet stock while simultaneouslyreinforcing said stock marginally of the perforations, said apparatushaving in combination, a fixed support for said stock provided with anaperture of the configuration desired for said perforations, means forcontinuously moving said stock in slidable engagement with the aperturedsurface of said support member with a portion of said stock extendingover said aperture, means arranged above said support including a highpressure nozzle in registry with the aperture of said support member fordischarge of a resin-containing liquid in a predetermined shape towardsaid aperture to perforate said stock in the area thereof extending oversaid aperture while simultaneously depositing said resin-containingliquid onto said stock in a supported area thereof marginally definingthe perforation thus formed.

9. In a device for aperturing thin sheet stock while simultaneouslyreinforcing areas thereof defining the aperture, an ejector including apressure responsive nozzle for ejecting resinous material maintained inflowable condition within said ejector, a support member fixed inclosely spaced relation to said nozzle and provided with an aperture inregistry with said nozzle, means for continuously moving thin sheetstock across the apertured portion of said support member through a pathbridging said aperture, and means associated with said ejectorperiodically to apply thereto pressure pulses of a magnitude momentarilyto trigger said nozzle open and eifect high pressure discharge of saidresinous material against the sheet passing over the apertured portionof said support member, and means for shaping the pattern of theresinous material as ejected to be of the same configuration as andlarger in cross section than the apertured portion of said supportmember where said material intercepts said member, whereby an innerportion of said resinous material simultaneously punctures said sheetmaterial in the area defined by said aperture While an outer portion ofsaid resinous material simultaneously impregnates said stock in an areamarginally surrounding the aperture thus formed.

10. Apparatus for providing sheet stock with marginally reinforcedperforations, comprising in combination, a fixed table-like supportprovided with an aperture of predetermined configuration extendingtherethrough, means for continuously feeding flexible sheet stock acrossthe apertured area of said support, means for maintaining said sheetstock in snug sliding engagement with the surface of said aperturedsupport, a high pressure nozzle spaced above said support in substantialregistry with said aperture, 2. supply of resinous fluid in flowablecondition, pump and valve means connected to said nozzle for the pulsedfeeding thereto of said resinous fluid at a pressure sufficient totrigger said nozzle open momentarily and discharge a shaped highpressure stream of said fluid at least partially into the apertured areaof said support to effect rupture and removal of the aperture-spanningportion of said sheet stock while simultaneously depositing a portion ofsaid resinous fluid onto said sheet stock in supported areas marginallysurrounding the perforation thus formed, means synchronizing saidcontinuous feeding means and said nozzle actuating pulsed feedingmeans'to effect regularly timed intermittent discharge of said resinous fluidagainst said continuously fed sheet stock to provide perforationstherein at regularly spaced intervals, and means to harden said fluid insaid sheet stock to provide a resinous reinforcement marginally of saidspaced perforations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS720,593 Lindberg Feb. 17, 1903 3 Benjamin Oct. 26, Sherman Jan. 22,Fourness et al July 2, Iutt Feb. 19, Anness Oct. 20, Kalwaites Dec. 2,Johnson Apr. 14, Schwacha May 23, Shu-Tung Tu et al Jan. 15, MarshallFeb. 26,

FOREIGN PATENTS Australia J an. 10,

1. THE METHOD OF PERFORATING WEB-LIKE SHEET STOCK CONSISTING OF THESTEPS OF CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SAID STOCK IN SLIDING RELATION OVER A FIXEDAPERTURED SUPPORTING MEMBER WITH SAID STOCK BRIDGING THE APERTURE WHILEBEING SUPPORTED IN AREAS MARGINALLY THEREOF, AND INTERMITTENTLYDIRECTING A HIGH VELOCITY LIQUID STEAM OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE AGAINSTTHE APERTURE-BRIDGING PORTION OF SAID STOCK WHILE SAID STOCK MOVES OVERSAID MEMBER OF EFFECT DISINTEGRATION AND REMOVAL OF A PORTION THEREOFTHROUGH THE APERTURED MEMBER, AND PROVIDED LINEARLY SPACED APERTURES INSAID STOCK OF THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE SHAPE OF SAID LIQUID STEAM.